The 12 Best Body Acne Treatments to Fight Breakouts Below the Neck

Editor Tip: The formula also contains niacinamide, which controls oil production and has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation—making it a winner for those prone to acne scars, too.

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid (2%), zinc PCA, niacinamide, rosewater extract/water/oil | Who It's For: Everyone | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best for Bacne: Glytone Acne Back & Chest Treatment Spray

Why It's Worth It: After cleansing, Texas-based, board-certified dermatologist Heidi Prather, MD, recommends applying a toner that contains acne-fighting ingredients. That may seem tricky for areas like the back, but that's where a product like this quick-drying Glytone Acne Treatment Spray Back & Chest comes in. "Because the back is a hard-to-reach area to apply topicals, look for user-friendly products in a spray bottle that you can mist on your back, such as this spray formulated with 2% salicylic acid," she notes. Add in Centella asiatica, or cica, to soothe the skin and balance the actives.

Editor Tip: It has a strong alcohol scent that takes a few minutes to dissipate, so spray it in a well-ventilated area.

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid (2%), Centella asiatica, gluconolactone | Who It's For: People looking to prevent body acne | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best for Butt Acne: PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash

Why It's Worth It: It's not just salicylic acid that makes an excellent acne cleanser. "PanOxyl has a 10% benzoyl peroxide to penetrate the pores and kill bacteria," says Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist Deanne Mraz, MD. (Benzoyl peroxide is also great for treating butt acne—the more you know.) While the PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash is incredibly effective—after all, it took home a 2023 Best of Beauty Award—you need to carefully time application, since benzoyl peroxide can bleach clothing. If you have acne-prone skin on your face, good news: You can use this for your face and body.

Editor Tip: While this is a rinse-off treatment, it works best if you give it a little time to work. Let it sit for two minutes in the shower (while you shave or massage your scalp) before you rinse it.

Key Ingredients: Benzoyl peroxide (10%), glycerin | Who It's For: Those with butt acne | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Body Serum: Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum

Why It's Worth It: One of the best body serums out there—full stop—the Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum won a 2023 Best of Beauty Award for its dream-team pairing of retinol and alpha hydroxy acids. Retinol, a derivative of vitamin A, is a super-effective ingredient for addressing body acne. "Not only will using topical retinoids help prevent and treat acne, but it will also help minimize the post-inflammatory pigmentation, like brown spots, that occurs after acne lesions resolve," Rhode Island-based board-certified dermatologist Tiffany Jow Libby, MD, previously told Allure. It also contains alpha hydroxy acids—namely, lactic and glycolic acids. If that sounds intense, no sweat: Squalane and niacinamide help hydrate and soothe skin.

Editor Tip: Both retinol and alpha hydroxy acids can leave you sensitive to sun exposure, so don't forget to apply sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30.

Key Ingredients: Retinol, glycolic acid, niacinamide | Who It's For: People prone to hyperpigmentation or those with uneven texture | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Body Wash: Murad Acne Control Acne Body Wash

Why It's Worth It: Target breakouts that crop up on your back, chest, and shoulders with Murad's Acne Control Acne Body Wash. This dependable shower companion uses 1% salicylic acid to dive deep into your clogged pores and clear active breakouts, while an additional exfoliating duo consisting of date seed powder—a physical exfoliant that is particularly great for oily skin types and removing stubborn layers of oil buildup—and glycolic acid reveals instantly smoother skin. Irritation won't be a problem either, since green tea and licorice root extracts swoop in to deeply condition skin.

Editor Tip: Since this uses a chemical exfoliant, be gentle when you suds up. “If you scrub too vigorously, you end up over-drying the skin, which causes the skin to produce more oil, subsequently causing more breakouts," New York-based dermatologist Valerie Goldburt, MD, previously shared with Allure.

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid (1%), glycolic acid, date seed powder, green tea, licorice root | Who It's For: Those with active breakouts | Fragrance-Free: No

Best Body Peel: Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA

Why It's Worth It: If you're a fan of leave-on treatments, Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA will be right up your alley. This silky, lightweight lotion works hard overnight to provide gentle exfoliation and shed built-up layers of dead skin cells, so you're left with smoother, softer skin upon waking up. Best yet, 2% salicylic acid is accompanied by a squad of soothing ingredients like allantoin, bisabolol, and vitamin E to keep skin looking and feeling calm.

Editor Tip The exfoliating action means it can target other types of skin conditions, including keratosis pilaris and ingrown hairs.

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid (2%), allantoin, bisabolol | Who It's For: People with congested or uneven skin | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Body Lotion: CeraVe SA Lotion

Why It's Worth It: New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist David Kim, MD, vouches for the CeraVe SA Lotion (along with the SA Body Wash), which contains salicylic acid but manages to be gentle and highly moisturizing. "BHA is lipophilic, meaning oil-loving, so it's great for clearing excess oil from the skin and, therefore, preventing acne," Dr. Kim explains. (However, he points out that CeraVe doesn't disclose the concentration of salicylic acid present.) Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides round out the skin-comforting formula to ensure all-day hydration.

Editor Tip: Some body moisturizers can be cloying on skin, exacerbating body acne, but this lightweight lotion leaves it supremely comfortable and clog-free—so it's a great option to pair with other acne products on this list.

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, ceramides, hyaluronic acid | Who It's For: Everyone | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Pimple Patch: Rael Beauty Miracle Patch XL Control Cover

Why It's Worth It: We love Rael Beauty pimple patches for our faces, and now, we love them for pesky breakouts on our bodies. The Miracle Patch XL Control Covers can be cut up to fit any blemish and help diminish overnight—courtesy of the hydrocolloid that absorbs oil and gunk from surfaced acne.

Editor Tip: Hydrocolloid works best for certain types of acne, like whiteheads, so make sure you're working with that instead of cysts (for which this won't have much of an effect). You can also use them on a pimple that's been popped (even though you should avoid this practice!) to support healing.

Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid | Who It's For: People with whiteheads | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Spot Treatment: Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment

Why It's Worth It: If the body acne you're battling is concentrated mostly on your shoulders and chest, Dr. Mraz recommends Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment, a prescription-strength topical retinoid available over the counter. "It helps to keep the pores open, ridding them of clogging sebum and bacteria," she tells Allure. Did we mention it's won three Best of Beauty Awards to date? It simply works.

Editor Tip: While this acne medication works great as a spot treatment, try the Differin Acne-Clearing Body Spray (which contains 2% salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and witch hazel) to fight acne on a larger scale.

Key Ingredients: Adapalene (0.1%) | Who It's For: Those who can tolerate retinoids | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Peel Pad: Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment

Why It's Worth It: Similar to the face version, the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment is made to exfoliate the skin, preventing acne in the first place. Each pad is loaded with glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids to minimize pore blockage and texture, all while brightening the skin. "Not only have I seen a drastic decrease in the little white dots and red patches that made their marks on the backs of my arms, but my shoulders and chest have close to no acne in sight," says associate special projects manager Talia Gutierrez.

Editor Tip: These are far more potent than the brand's wipes for your face, so don't attempt to use them anywhere besides below your neck.

Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, squalane, aloe | Who It's For: Those with congested or hyperpigmentation-prone skin | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best for Sensitive Skin: First Aid Beauty FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads

Why It's Worth It: Mona Gohara, MD, a Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist, is a fan of First Aid Beauty's FAB Pharma White Clay Acne Treatment Pads. They're technically designed for the face but work wonders on any areas of the body as well—especially when you're in a rush, like after a gym workout. Salicylic acid "cuts right through the oil in the pores to break up any clogging," she says of the treatment. Additionally, these 60 alcohol-free pads are drenched in clarifying tea tree oil and willow bark to exfoliate and smooth out your complexion, while kaolin clay sucks out all of the gunk lodged within your pores.

Editor Tip: You can use this super-gentle formula to treat facial acne, too; it's free of fragrance and even gentle enough for sensitive skin.

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid (2%), kaolin clay, willow bark extract | Who It's For: Sensitive skin types | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Drugstore: AcneFree Salicylic Acid Body Spray

Why It's Worth It: AcneFree's Salicylic Acid Body Spray is another easy-to-use mist that combines the exfoliating powers of salicylic and glycolic acids to treat body acne and prevent future breakouts. (As a refresher, glycolic accounts for the smallest and most easily penetrable of all of the skin-care acids.) And because the last thing you need is more irritation, this fast-drying, non-sticky formula contains a blend of hydrating aloe vera and niacinamide to alleviate any potential inflammation or redness.

Editor Tip: It has a continuous spray nozzle that works whether you hold it straight up, upside down, or somewhere in between—making it great for tackling bacne.

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, aloe vera, niacinamide | Who It's For: Anyone on a budget | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

"Back acne [comes from] the inconvenient and unfortunate cycle of clogged pores, inflammation, and poor skin turnover," says Heidi Prather, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Texas, who explains that back acne can appear as small blackheads, inflammatory pustules, or sometimes deep, tender cystic lesions.

As annoying as body acne is, it's luckily preventable and treatable. Dr. Prather encourages her patients to identify anything that might be triggering outbreaks. "Hair products such as conditioners or leave-in products that contain silicones and oils can leave a residue on your skin, resulting in clogged pores and acne," Dr. Prather notes. "Screen your products for ingredients that are known to be comedogenic, and when getting a massage, opt for lighter lotions in place of heavy creams and massage oils that can exacerbate acne."

If the steps you've taken thus far to prevent body breakouts haven't left you with clear skin, there are plenty of over-the-counter products that dermatologists love to help heal outbreaks. However, "Keep in mind that, although our back skin seems tough, it [usually] cannot handle the same acne treatment routines we use on our face," Dr. Prather warns. "It is important to avoid being overly aggressive with acne treatments on the back to prevent irritation."

The last method to consider? Make an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist who can evaluate your skin and create a personalized treatment plan.

• Heidi Prather, MD, a Texas-based board-certified dermatologist
• Deanne Mraz, MD, a Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist
• Tiffany Jow Libby, MD, a Rhode Island-based board-certified dermatologist
• Valerie Goldburt, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist
• Mona Gohara, MD, a Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist

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For our list of the best body acne treatments, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

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More on acne:

• 16 Best Acne Spot Treatments for Getting Rid of Pimples Fast
• 5 Dermatologists with Acne Share Their Own Skin-Care Routines
• How to Treat Every Type of Adult Acne at Home

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